Friday Fiscal Wellness Check, April 25, 2025

     

    I've just been adding as the week goes on to this post. I'm back and forth between home, my brother's, helping with pets and trying to manage life. I hope to catch up blog reading and comments today as I'm the all day carer support, and when he sleeps, which is a lot, I can be online.

     How is it already nearing the end of April? My fiscal month ends on the 26th and I'm determined to not spend anything the rest of April, other than sending the check for health and dental insurance. Here's my recap of Friday, April 18-Thursday, April 24.

Avoiding Spending/ Saving on Needs

  • See below, as it was not a budget week in the food department but I at least batch cooked when possible to split food for home or with others.
  • Entertainment was streaming movies with popcorn and pizza rolls with my kids, playing a couple board games, reading, playing with the pets, and going on walk.
  • Brunch is a shared effort so more affordable family get together. My brother provided the ham and the sisters (5 of us) the egg bakes, fruit, potatoes, French toast bake,  and juices. My one sister hosted did all the paper products and pastries and breads. We sent tons of food to my sick brothers too. 
  • Hit an incredible price on normally expensive brand salsa at Dollar Tree. We use a lot of it. I'm not kidding when I say I could have bought enough to get to the December 2025 best by date, but didn't want to be greedy so bought five of the medium. Picture from Walmart to show regular price.
  • Colored my own hair, but need a good cut. My hair is begining to be unruly. The color should take me through the social events and my trip with sisters. I'm still debating when and if I let myself just go gray.
IDK what person
down graded by
1/2 a star but this
stuff is gold. 
Spent Intentionally
  •  The Sketchers slip on shoes I like were 40% off and actually $10 less than I paid last year. I'm carefully looking at my clothes and shoes and only buying needs. The treads are pretty wore on my old pair, not surprisingly since they have been pretty much the only shoes I've worn in a year. 
  • I did a small restock of wine for home, taking advantage of a weekend sale.
  • The biannual Women's Fundraising group I've recently joined in had its spring drive yesterday. This is part of my planned giving, twice a year 100 women donate $100 dollars to a voted on local non-profit. It's a way to have collective impact in our community. 

Opportunities to add Funds/Windfalls 

  • Loaded receipts and played on MS Rewards- tried to be more diligent this week
  • I accepted two substitute teaching jobs for April 29 and May 6th, both Tuesdays. I'll be in a middle school resource room both shifts so think they'll be a nice ease into subbing. 
Miscellaneous (added as a few things don't quite fit elsewhere)
  • Long time readers might remember the change canister I started before the Paris trip in 2018 called the Baguette and  Croissant fund. We didn't literally use as such and it's been filling since then. I spent a rainy afternoon and sorted and rolled up change. I'm going to start again. I'll call it the Afternoon Tea fund. I don't have many opportunities for change these days, but it will be interesting to see what's there by November. 
  • Reason why using a financial planner when you are not smart about things, number one...they understand how to set up various options for the point in the retirement journey you are at. I am much more cash secure than I was thinking I was. I'm seeing a tiny bit of more shares in some of the lost value areas, so should those rebound, I might just rebound too. Now if things keep going south, again and again, and we have depression era losses and panicking, I'll hurt the same as everyone. Of course my motivation to not be reckless in spending remains. I still want to hold off longer tapping into any portion of my retirement account for a while. 

     Then, there are often other things that impacted my check book that came up without much planning or notice, or an all-out splurge.

  • Budget be damned when it comes to helping my brothers family. I spent money stocking up on meal prep food and containers, plus a few gift cards for their kids families to help a tiny bit. I can target one of the sub jobs to this added cost.
  • I treated my son and we both joined a few family members for lunch before my brother hit the road. He'll be back after his medical and other business have been completed. 
  • The laptop I now use was the one my husband bought the summer before he died. The keys are kind of sticky and it's not pleasant to type. I went ahead and bought a $10 keyboard that is much more comfortable for typing.
     Daily Dinner Diary (Friday 4/18 to Thursday, 4/24)
  • Fri - Tuna hot dish, peas
  • Sat- Black bean Spanish rice soup, chips, salsa and guacamole 
  • Sun- After a large brunch, supper was just picky bits and leftovers. 
  • Mon-  Goulash, bread machine French bread
  • Tues- Large lunch out so not very hungry. I had made too much macaroni for the goulash, so used the overage to make tuna  pasta salad, which was plenty with some of the homemade French Bread. 
  • Wed-  Homemade pizza with crust made with Greek yogurt, topped with random funds and mozzarella 
  • Thurs- Chickpea curry  Sausage, black beans and rice
     Lunches were any leftovers, sandwiches, soup, fruit, carrots and ranch dressing, hummus, tuna pasta salad.  

I'll be at my brothers all day today and am the overnight on Saturday. My sister-in-law is so tired, but she hardly sleeps, but at least we try and get her to nap when he's comfortable. How was your week?

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Comments

  1. You have had a busy week. I admire how your family has stepped up to help your brother and SIL.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm not going to sugar coat it...I am not handling it well, but will be here as needed. My SIL is incredible.

      Delete
  2. I can’t believe Easter was this week, feels like it was ages ago. Ours was pretty lowkey, my mother in law managed to be meddlesome without being involved in our day, but in other news, water is wet, the sky is blue. Hit a bucket of golf balls Monday night, went to the first night market of the season yesterday, have an eye appointment this morning and then going to visit DD and start packing her up to come home in a few weeks. Lunch will be involved ;)

    I decided to quit coloring my hair a few years ago and finally did the big chop to get all the old hair dye out. It’s shoulder length now, a little shorter than I prefer but hey, it grows! It’s very thick and healthy now and just long enough that I can get it in a claw clip to put it up. I’m also getting into a hippy sort of mindset that those chemicals can’t be good for me and it’s one less thing on my mental list. Thankfully my greys are growing in nicely, I actually like them so that helps.

    You and your brother are in my thoughts.

    JoAnn

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, JoAnn. Ill see how this year goes on all my transitions, then decide on the hair. I'm sorry about your MIL.

      Delete
  3. I'm really on the fence about coloring my hair. My hair is naturally a dark blonde/light brown color. I've avoided needing to cover grays, and I turn 50 next year. However, the gray makes my hair a terrible ashy color, that is really awful with my complexion. I'm planning on getting my hair highlighted (not all over, but just to minimize impact of the gray) & cut before I start a new job (whenever that happens.) I get my hair cut like 2x/year, so I'm pretty low maintenance on that front.

    You had a really good week. We got M's last paycheck today, and severance will be paid out in a few weeks, so things are getting really real here. - Hawaii Planner

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's my natural color too. I went blinder when I started coloring five years ago, but the last year have slowly gone back and trying to just really cover the gray. I hope all goes well in the job front.

      Delete
  4. I am heartwarmed by the efforts you and your siblings are making to assist your brother and your brother's family.

    It's a positive sign that time is already seeming to speed by post-retirement. I think it bodes very well for your future days as you continue to settle in to your new normal. In this, my 14th year of retirement, I never find myself bored unless I choose to be. (Which to date I've never chosen to be!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We all feel a need to help as we can, but it's more than I estimated my capacity. I've broke down a few times and this was just my first shift. AscI said above, my SIL is incredible - patient, loving, and what every human deserves in their final days.

      Delete
    2. It's so much and so soon after your own husband. I admire your commitment to your family to be present for them while living your own loss. Hugs to you.

      Delete
    3. I hope I have the mental energy to do justice to the support. I was drained last night. I'm overnight tonight.

      Delete
  5. When I decided I no longer wanted to color my hair I let about 1/2 an inch of gray grow in and then had my hairdresser blend the gray with high lights and low lights to make the growing out process much easier. Now after 3 years it's all my natural color and I love it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lori, your hair is beautiful! Good plan with your hairdresser.

      My hair started to turn silver in my 30s. At the time, I had been getting highlights and was apparently too busy to make another appointment. So when my sister-in-law said she loved my highlights (of which there were none remaining), the lightbulb went on and I thought, why am I spending money on highlights when my hair is providing naturally silver ones? Haven't colored my hair since (30+ years). Huge savings in time and money and no harmful effects from hair dye.

      Delete
    2. I wish I could count on pretty gray hair like yours. My MIL went gray and natural in her forties, and has always looked older than she was. My friend who retired two years ago went natural and she looks lovely and youthful as do you

      Delete
  6. I was in my late 60's and had dyed my hair for over 30 years, but couldn't get to the hairdressers in lockdowns a few years ago and let if grow out. It is a bit patchy still on the sides, but silver on top and I am so happy I was "forced" into it. Has saved me heaps of money. I look at some of my friends in their 70s and 80s and having dyed hair still just looks so unnatural and harsh.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As I just use a box and more to cover gray the cost hasn't been huge, but I'd like to simplify. I agree sometimes the coloring doesn't match aging tone but to each their own. My sister and a sister in law gave both said they'll always color, so if that works for them, they should do what makes them happy. A right to being older, we get to not care what others think ( even if it looks silly, lol.)

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  7. The shared effort family brunch is a great idea. I love how your family has come together for him. My heart goes out to you.

    I debate about going gray too and have let my bangs grow out gray, but there is color on my older hair from over a year ago.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was a harder caregiving day than I was prepared for. I appreciate the kind thoughts.

      Delete

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